Purdue Boilermakers vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Final Score: Huskers’ 35-14 Win Overshadowed By Abdullah Injury

Nebraska’s 35-14 win over Purdue was tempered significantly by the injury to Cornhuskers Heisman candidate Ameer Abdullah

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The scoreboard read a 35-14 win for Nebraska over Purdue, yet the victory for the 15th ranked Cornhuskers suffered a huge loss when Heisman Trophy candidate Ameer Abdullah left the game late in the first quarter with a mild MCL sprain.

Nebraska does have a bye next week, which gives them hope that Abdullah will return in time for their November 15 showdown against Wisconsin.

Abdullah, who entered the game as the nation’s rushing leader with 1,249 yards, suffered the injury when he attempted to recover a fumble for quarterback Tommy Armstrong, Jr. He left the game with a mere one yard (36 measly inches) on six carries. Without Abdullah, the Cornhuskers (8-1, 4-1 Big 10) reverted to a rotation that featured Imani Cross, who rushed for 69 yards and two scores on 20 carries.

Armstrong, Jr. faltered as a passer in the stiff breeze at Memorial Stadium (8 of 21, 118 yards), yet did throw a touchdown pass to De’Mornay Pierson-El while adding a 21-yard scoring run that gave Nebraska a 21-7 halftime lead.

Purdue (3-6, 1-4) held Nebraska to just 297 yards and closed within 28-14 after Austin Appleby hit Cameron Posey for a 23-yard touchdown with 10:38 remaining and had a chance to draw closer following an interception of Armstrong, Jr. on the ensuing possession. The Blackshirts rose up and squashed the Boilermakers’ last bid for a miracle, as Nebraska put the game away for good on Terrell Newby’s 7-yard touchdown with 2:25 left.

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